


Forbidden

by karnsniehaus



Category: Carmilla (Web Series), Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, vampire!Carmilla
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-23
Updated: 2018-10-28
Packaged: 2019-08-06 12:42:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 17,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16387943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/karnsniehaus/pseuds/karnsniehaus
Summary: Forbidden love stories always cross paths. It seems like the dangerousness of it makes it even more desirable. Nicole loved Waverly and she made sure she was aware of that. Carmilla loved Laura, but she made all the efforts to try to hide it from her — for her own sake. But life is a crazy thing and everything is put at stake when Nicole touches Waverly. She wasn’t supposed to, but she did. And now she’d fight whoever it was, even Gods, to save her lover’s life.





	1. Your Touch

**Author's Note:**

> Originally this would be a social media AU on Twitter, but the ideas kept popping up in my head and just some screenshots wouldn't do it. There's going to be two chapters and the first one has some time jumps, so be aware of that (you'll be warned when it comes!). Please, consider that English is not my first language, so any errors let me know. Enjoy it!

Laura huffed as she walked through the gates that led the way to her school building. Having three months of free time to just sleep and eat non-healthy food while she watched every single comedy, romantic, thriller movie available on Netflix wasn’t something she ever wanted to let go of and the fact that now she needed to wake up at six in the morning wasn’t the most delightful feeling. Coming back to school wasn’t all bad too. She was very academic and had pretty good grades – her hobby was to make mental maps on every class she had – and she missed her tennis team on summer break.

With her brand-new schedule in hands, she walked through the halls searching for her Biology classroom. Her bothered face disappeared as soon as she spotted Waverly Earp sitting in the corner of the room, her face buried in some book she had in hands. She entered the room, not bothering checking who else would share that same class with her for the next semester. Her backpack made a loud thud when she threw it on the desk in front of the hazel-haired girl, making her jump and smile when she caught sight of Laura.

“Oh, my God!” Waverly closed the book, didn’t even bother to mark the page, and stood up to wrap her arms around Laura’s neck in a tight hug. “I missed you so much! I can’t believe you’re here. I’m so glad we have this class together because, honestly, Ms. Belmonde is a pain in the ass.”

“Oh, tell me about it,” Laura said rolling her eyes. “We haven’t seen each other in a week, Earp, and only because you decided to go to the woods. Which classes do you have today?”

She watched as Waverly reached for her own backpack and pulled a perfectly folded pink paper from it.

“Biology, Chemistry and Social Politics. What about you?”

“Biology, Chemistry and Physics.” She wheezed in excitement. Knowing that she would spend most of her time with her best friend was definitely a great way to start a new school year.

Waverly and Laura have been best friends for years now. Their mothers were childhood friends as well and it couldn’t have been different with their daughters. They’ve helped each other a lot through every phase of their lives and especially with their sexuality. Laura was the first one to admit to herself and share with Waverly that she was into girls, when she was 14. A couple of years later, Waverly admitted to herself that she had a crush on a girl, that it wasn’t just some admiration. Laura knew it from day one, when she noticed the hazel-haired girl couldn’t take her eyes off of the Deputy’s daughter. Coming out was a rough time for both of them. Having a priest as your father and a very religious mom, Laura had a hard time telling her parents about it, but it turned out to be less scary than she thought. Luckily, she had great understanding parents who took who she was open-hearted and never, not even once, let her down because of it. Waverly’s mother died before she could say anything to her and that’s probably her biggest regret. Her father had a hard time accepting it for a while, but now he’s capable of committing hate crimes against whoever makes Waverly any harm just because of her sexual orientation. Her older sister, Wynonna, was the best person in her life along with Laura. She was reckless and had that bad attitude of rock-and-rollers that made all the boys and girls fall to her feet and come back crawling for more, the complete opposite of Waverly. She counted on her for everything and Wynonna never let Waverly down, not even once, not even when they were kids.

“I’m so excited to come back to practice,” Waverly said as they sat on the scratched, written-on desks. “I mean, did I spend three months without touching my rackets and my muscles will probably hurt for a month after practice today? Yes, but still.”

“You just want to see Nicole and her pretty butt in those kaki shorts,” Laura teased with her eyebrow raised, making Waverly blush slightly and hit her in the arm playfully.

“You shut up, I’m not! I mean, well, yes, but I really miss playing and—”

Waverly’s sentence was cut in half when she spotted, with her peripherical vision, a bluff of red hair coming into the classroom. She thought she had lost her ability to breathe on her own when the other girl smiled and waved gently at her.

“Hey, Nicole!” Laura said loudly, waving at the ginger.

“Hey, Laura,” she said back, changing her mind in the middle of her way and turning back to get seated on the desk right next to Waverly. “Is this seat empty?”

“All yours,” Laura said with a smile and shot Waverly a teasing glance.

“Are you both getting back to the team this semester?” She asked as she placed her backpack on the floor.

“I couldn’t miss it for the world,” Waverly said and she wondered how she managed to get the sentence out lout without stuttering. When Laura looked at her with raised eyebrows and widened eyes, she cursed mentally at herself. _Great, Waverly, now she’ll know you’re into her. Stupid bitch!_

“And why is that, Earp? Do tell.” Laura teased and Waverly swore that if Nicole’s gaze wasn’t stuck on her she would’ve hit her so hard it’d leave a bruise.

“I just love tennis, that’s all. You know that, Hollis, don’t you?” she tried to hide her internal panic, but she knew it wasn’t completely successful when Nicole chuckled from her seat.

“Oh, I do. You just _love tennis,_ ” Laura said in a mocking tone, making Waverly’s cheek burn and Nicole giggle. “Anyways. Haught, what classes do you have? Because I can’t leave this one alone for one second, you know? We don’t have the last one together.”

“I have Biology now, Chemistry and then Philosophy.”

“Seems like I’ll be alone and _completely_ alone. Me, myself and I,” Waverly said tapping her fingernails on the table, smiling forcefully at Laura. The blonde-haired girl wanted to laugh, but she couldn’t do that to Waverly. The mortification was enough.

“But I’ll meet you guys back in lunch, right?” Nicole asked, pulling her notebook out of her backpack.

“Of course. Let’s just try to find a good table that’s not close to a vending machine, please?” Waverly begged to Laura, making the girl laugh. She was still traumatized with last semester’s events involving malfunctioning machines and food being spat out of it straight to her face.

“What’s with the vending machines?” Nicole asked with a frown, clearly interested in the story.

“We’ll have plenty of time to tell you about that,” Waverly spoke before Laura could embarrass her even more in front of Nicole.

“However you want, Waves.” Nicole smiled and turned her head slightly, automatic, to the door, leaving Waverly with a silly smile on her face.

“Get a room,” Laura joked. “But before that, look who just arrived.”

All three girls huffed when they saw Mattie Belmonde, their Biology teacher, walking into the classroom. They knew better than to talk on her classes, so written notes were their best friends. Waverly ripped a piece of paper and Laura could hear the scratching sound of the pen against the thin paper on the table.

_HOWEVER YOU WANT WAVES??! IS SHE TRYING TO KILL ME BC ISTG I CAN’T HANDLE IT_

Laura chuckled softly when she read it and quickly grabbed a pen from her pen case.

_she’s so into you and you have no fucking clue it’s so funny_

_SHE’S NOT SHUT UP LAURA_

_*mocks* however you want, waves_

_STOP IT YOU’RE DISTRACTING ME if i get a note from ms belmonde i’m fucking murdering you_

_it’s not MY boobs that are distracting you waverly earp_

“I’m ripping this,” Waverly whispered to Laura as soon as the other girl slid her the paper, her cheeks burning once again. It wasn’t that obvious, was it?

“You better,” Laura whispered back before she got really interested in what their teacher had to say.

* * *

**** _Waverly created the group “biology and chemistry stuff, I guess?”_

_Waverly added Laura_

_Waverly added Nicole_

**_Waverly:_ ** _hi guys_

 **_Nicole:_ ** _hey you_

 **_Waverly:_ ** _laura say hi_

“You do realize I’m laying down, literally, on your lap, right?” Laura said, looking up from her phone to find Waverly’s face on her own screen. Laura had walked Waverly home after school and decided to hang out for a while. Her father was used to it by now, so she didn’t bother calling him. “Why do I have to say hi to you through text?”

“Don’t be rude to Nicole,” Waverly said, making Laura chuckle.

“You’re so whipped,” Laura mocked, feeling a bump on her head caused from Waverly kicking the back of her neck with her knee.

 **_Laura:_ ** _hi nicole waverly told me not to be rude to you and say hi so_

 **_Laura:_ ** _hi nicole_

 **_Nicole:_ ** _hahaha that’s so sweet_

 **_Nicole:_ ** _“biology and chemistry stuff, I guess?” really waves?_

 **_Waverly:_ ** _if you can think of a better name feel free to change it_

_Nicole changed the group’s name to “the three musketeers”_

**_Waverly:_ ** _that’s somehow worse_

 **_Laura:_ ** _why do i have to do everything around here *sighs*_

_Laura changed the group’s name to “the gay squad”_

“You don’t know if she’s gay, Laura!” Waverly shouted in protest, making Laura roll her eyes. 

“You can’t be serious,” Laura said, watching Waverly’s dead expression. She was serious. Laura sighed. “Waverly, she’s gay. Trust me. I’ve seen her making out with girls before.”

“You what!?” Waverly shouted in surprise. “And you didn’t even bother to tell me? Traitor.”

“I thought you knew! I mean, she’s a hundred-footer.”

“A what now?”

Laura sighed again. “It’s when you can see that a girl is a lesbian even if she’s a hundred feet away. That’s Nicole. You’re so vanilla.”

 **_Nicole:_ ** _yeah that’s better_

 **_Waverly:_ ** _yeah i guess so_

 **_Nicole:_ ** _jesus my muscles are already starting to hurt and the blisters in my hands are hurting. i repeat: my BLISTERS are HURTING_

 **_Waverly:_ ** _same here and having laura putting all of her weight on my legs is not working_

 **_Nicole:_ ** _that’s interesting to know (;_

 **_Waverly:_ ** _NOT LIKE THAT OH MY GOD NICOLE_

 **_Laura:_ ** _HER FACE IS COMPLETELY RED YOU SHOULD SEE IT NICOLE_

 **_Waverly:_ ** _i’m gonna hit you in the head again shut up_

 **_Waverly:_ ** _also nicole guess what_

 **_Waverly:_ ** _laura has a crush on the new girl_

 **_Nicole:_ ** _what new girl?_

 **_Waverly:_ ** _the new one on the team, the black hair, pale skin_

 **_Laura:_ ** _I DO NOT_

 **_Waverly:_ ** _she could use a tan i’ll tell you that_

 **_Laura:_ ** _I DO NOT SHUT UP WAVERLY_

 **_Nicole:_ ** _oh, that’s Carmilla. we have philosophy together_

 **_Nicole:_ ** _and a little bit of sunbathing wouldn’t hurt, yes_

 **_Nicole:_ ** _she was literally reflecting light_

 **_Waverly:_ ** _RIGHT!?_

 **_Waverly:_ ** _laura is currently trying to find her instagram profile right now_

 **_Laura:_ ** _I AM NOT_

 **_Waverly:_ ** _you know that i can see you right?_

 **_Laura:_ ** _but nicole if you know her last name hmu_

 **_Nicole:_ ** _i can ask her for her instagram user for you, you do know that, right laura?_

 **_Laura:_ ** _DON’T YOU DARE OH MY GOD ARE YOU LIKE INSANE_

 **_Laura:_ ** _ok fine just don’t mention my name_

 **_Waverly:_ ** _ha who’s the whipped one now_

 **_Nicole:_ ** _what_

 **_Waverly:_ ** _What_

“You just busted yourself!” Laura broke in laughter as she watched Waverly’s face drop. “Relax, she didn’t get it.”

“What if she did?”

“She didn’t.” Laura got up and sat next to Waverly, wiping some tears that came out. “It’d be great if she did, though.”

“Get out of my house,” Waverly threw a pillow on Laura’s face, laughing in the process. “I hate you.”

“But you love me.”

“That I do,” Waverly laughed and kicked her playfully on the leg.

* * *

  **THREE WEEKS LATER**

Laura finally had the guts to talk to Carmilla. After practice, when they both were changing clothes, she made what she judged to be the stupidest decision ever and made a comment on how cold it was outside, but then she was the happiest when the dark-haired girl chuckled next to her.

“I think you can do better than to pull a weather one, cutie,” her raspy and deep voice echoed in the empty changing room, giving Laura chills.

“Not really good with social interactions,” Laura pointed to herself and smiled shyly with her head down. “Especially with pretty girls,” she whispered to herself this time, so inaudible even she couldn’t understand exactly the words that jad just left her mouth. At least that’s what she thought.

“Pretty girls, huh?” she asked with a smirk as she put one foot on the bench and started tying her sneakers. “See you around, Hollis.”

Laura saw Waverly sneaking behind a locker and made sure the hazel-haired girl knew that she was aware of her presence. She rolled her eyes and sighed exaggeratedly loud.

“Worst. Crush. Ever,” Laura said slowly, sitting forcefully on the bench, closing her eyes and pouting. “What do I do, Waverly? Can I quit tennis?”

“ _’Can I quit tennis?’_ my ass,” Waverly said. “She smirked to you. A smirk, Laura. Just go for it. She’s really pretty.”

“I know, right? Can Nicole get me her number or something? I’m not good with social interactions, as you’re aware of.”

“Maybe, you can try,” Waverly said with a shrug. “Now let’s go, she’s waiting for us.”

“Us?”

“We’re supposed to go grab a bite in three minutes.” Waverly said, looking at her watch. “We’re meeting her outside.”

“I thought you guys were going to go grab a bite.” Laura frowned as she stuffed her clothes into her backpack and throw it hanging on her shoulder.

“Are you crazy? No!”

“Well, now you are because I’m not going to be a third wheel. Come over when you’re finished,” Laura said walking away from Waverly. “And please, don’t be a chicken and just kiss her already.”

“Laura Hollis, do _not_ walk through that door.” Waverly demanded, but her orders were clearly ignored by the other girl, who just waved her goodbye and walked away. “Oh, boy, I’m screwed.”

**—**

“I thought Laura was joining us,” Nicole said as Waverly approached her. The ginger wasn’t disappointed or shy, but a little smug appeared when she felt the absence of the other girl.

“I thought so too, but apparently she has another plans.”

“Well, if you want to cancel it—”

“No! I mean, if you want to.”

“And lose my opportunity of getting some alone time with you without having Laura almost killing you with constant mocks? I’m not that crazy yet.” Nicole watched as Waverly’s cheek went beet red and chuckled. She threw one arm around her neck and the hazel-haired girl almost gagged. Her hand had slightly touched her bare skin. The touch of her pale and cold skin gave her chills. “Let’s go because I’m starving, aren’t you?”

“You bet I am,” Waverly said with her eyes locked on Nicole’s lips. She got herself out of her trance shaking her head and walking side by side hooked on Nicole’s arm.

 **_Waverly (4:03PM):_ ** _i’m gonna die i am currently as i type DYING and you’re the only one to blame and i hate you_

 **_Waverly (4:03PM):_ ** _she has her arm around my fucking neck is that a friend thing?! you never wrapped your arm around my neck unless we needed to pretend we’re dating to piss off boys_

 **_Waverly (4:03PM):_ ** _laura hollis your friend is dying and you don’t even care i am hurt this is rude_

 **_Laura (4:05PM):_ ** _calm down earp jesus it’s just nicole she’s not like a unicorn or something_

 **_Waverly (4:05PM):_ ** _i think i would do better with a unicorn_

 **“** Laura?” Nicole asked, catching a glimpse of the texts. Waverly quickly put her phone back in her pocket and tried to hide her nervousness with a smile.

“Yeah, she’s asking me to bring her some cookies from the ice-cream store next to her house. Sorry.”

“So… McDonald’s?” Nicole asked before a curve that led to two different ways. “Or we can just go to the mall and see what our options are.”

“McDonald’s seems just fine,” Waverly said. “It’s kind of my favorite.”

“I know,” Nicole said with a smile, turning left.

Of course she knew. She had been talking to Laura for days now, thinking of a way to go out with Waverly without seeming too obvious. The ginger was afraid that she would scare the smaller one away, so she wanted everything to be right. When she first talked to Laura, she seemed extremely excited and somehow relieved, like she’d been waiting for this moment forever. Waverly nor Nicole knew that she had a really hard time not spelling the beans to her best friend, but she was immensely happy that the feeling was mutual.

After what seemed an entire day and with Laura’s cookies bought, Nicole walked Waverly to Laura’s place. It wasn’t even near to her own, but she wouldn’t let her walk home alone. Two hours had passed and it was starting to get dark out. When they reached the door, Waverly stopped and smiled awkwardly to Nicole.

“Well, thank you for walking me home,” she said. “I mean, not _my_ home, but Laura’s. And thank you for grabbing a bite with me _and_ for putting up with me and my bad jokes.”

“It was my pleasure,” Nicole said with a smile. “I really enjoy spending time with you, Waves. I wish we could do it more often. I mean, if you’re up to it, because, you know, I really like you and you’re special to me.”

“Sure! Uhm, I mean, we could totally do it more often. I-, uhm… Ok, here’s the thing,” Waverly seemed to breathe properly for the first time that day. “You make me nervous. There, I said it. So I don’t know exactly how to function around you so I’m just this bundle of nerves and awkwardness and I’m so sorry for that.”

“Waves, that’s just how you are and I would never ask you to be someone you’re not. And it’s pretty cute, actually,” she smiled. “I’m not the most normal person out there anyways,” Nicole said and chuckled. _Of course you’re not,_ she thought to herself.

“So when you said you liked me, you meant that you really _like_ me?” Waverly asked with half a wink, making Nicole smile.

“Yes, Waves.”

“Jump in, then, Nicole, because I really don’t know how to do it.” Waverly said, almost a whisper, as she noticed Nicole’s face getting closer to hers. A little smug appeared on the ginger’s lips and right after that their lips connected with a sudden movement. Waverly never felt such a sensation before. It was like feeling a cold breeze on a hot day of summer. The smell of rain and wet dirt. Nicole’s lips were cold and she swore they could melt once they touched her burning face. _She must be freezing,_ Waverly thought, _her entire body is like ice._

“I think you do,” Nicole said once they parted. She smiled at her before she started walking away. “See you tomorrow, Waves.”

Waverly just stood there for a minute, watching Nicole disappear on the next curve. She didn’t bother ringing the doorbell, she knew it’d be open. She ran upstairs to find Laura’s room empty and the shower sound, along with Mamma Mia by ABBA, coming from the suite hit her.

“Laura, please hurry because I really need to tell you what just happened.” She shouted louder than the music as she sat on Laura’s bed with an excited smile.

“Waverly?” she heard Laura call in confusion. The hazel-haired girl heard the curtains opening and suddenly the song stopped.

“No, Freddy Krueger,” she mocked and rolled her eyes. “Of course it’s me! You should stop leaving that door open, by the way. Especially if you’re on the shower. I know where the spare key is.”

“You’re probably right. I’ll be out in a second.”

Waverly felt a vibration and searched for Laura’s phone, her eyes widening as she read who the message that she had just got was from.

 **_Carmilla (6:49PM):_ ** _hey, cutie. are you up for pizza and chill tomorrow?_

“Oh, my God, Laura!” Waverly quickly stood up, feeling the dizziness hitting her head, but she made it to the bathroom and opened the door. “Carmilla? _The_ Carmilla?”

“Uh, excuse me, have you ever heard of privacy?,” Laura said as she wrapped her towel around her body and hooked the tip of the cloth so it wouldn’t fall.

“We’ve past that by now, don’t you think?” Laura hummed in agreement before she took her phone from Waverly’s hands. “So, you’ve been talking to Carmilla, huh?”

“We exchanged, like, four texts since the changing room thing and now. You can see for yourself,” Laura said after reading the last text and trying not to smile. Waverly took the phone and scrolled up.

 **_Carmilla (4:23PM):_ ** _is it just me or it’s really cold outside just like you said earlier_

 **_Laura (4:28PM):_ ** _“i think you could do better than to pull a weather one, cutie” and how did you get my number_

 **_Carmilla (4:33PM):_ ** _uhh, you got me there, cupcake_

 **_Carmilla (4:33PM):_ ** _i guess i shouldn’t have made fun of you then_

 **_Laura (4:35PM):_ ** _HA now you wish, don’t you cutie?_

 **_Carmilla (4:51PM):_ ** _how i do, creampuff_

 **_Carmilla (4:51PM):_ ** _and about your number… well, I have to keep some of my secrets, otherwise i’ll lose my air of mystery (;_

“Wink face!?” Waverly shouted as she reached the last text before the one she had already read. She looked up at Laura and saw a little smug. “She’s totally into you!”

“She is not,” Laura protested. “That’s just her way of talking to people. She’s just… naturally flirty. Also, what’s with the pastry names?”

“It’s because she wants to eat you,” Waverly joked, pulling a malicious face. Laura gasped and throw the wet towel that was on her hair before at the hazel-haired girl.

“Oh, my God, Waverly!”

“So, are you?”

“Am I what?”

“Going to _‘pizza and chill’_ with her.”

“Are you seriously asking me that?,” Laura asked with a frown. “I mean, yes?.”

“Uh, Laura Hollis, chess master,” Waverly said with a smug, making Laura roll her eyes. “I guess you don’t want to know about what happened earlier.” She stood up, mentioning to walk towards the door.

“Waverly Earp, don’t you dare leave this room.” Laura reprehended, pointing at her with her hair brush. “Tell me everything, including the nasty details.”

“Gross. Well, we went to McDonald’s and she was super cute and did you know she’s, like, extremely smart too? She got 98 on her last Chemistry test. I found myself a new tutor.” She said, daydreaming, staring at the empty wall in front of her. “And then she walked me home and she said she liked me. Yep, that’s right, Nicole Haught has a crush on _moi,_ Waverly Earp. And then I died and we kissed but that’s about it.”

“Wait, YOU WHAT?!” Laura turned to face Waverly, that was now laying down on Laura’s bed. “Who kissed who first?”

“I honestly have no idea, I just realized what was happening when I felt her lips on mine. And she was so cold, like, her lips and her skin were cold, you know? And I was so ashamed my cheeks were burning hot.”

“I can’t believe you kissed her! What else? I told you I want all the details.”

“That’s it, then she said _‘see you tomorrow, Waves’_ and walked home and then I ran up here and that leads us to where we are at this very moment.”

“And _I’m_ the chess master?,” Laura raised an eyebrow. “Well done, Earp.”

“Yeah, but I’m not getting my hopes up. I don’t know, maybe she just wants to have fun and all that _no strings attached_ crap.” The hazel-haired girl’s face dropped and she seemed to lose all those good feelings she had a few minutes ago.

“Waves, I told you already,” Laura said as she put on her pajamas. “She likes you. She’s had a crush on you since last semester and you didn’t notice because you were too blinded by her beauty or whatever.” They chuckled. “I know what you feel is intense and pure and true, but if she happens to not feel the same in the same intensity, I have two shoulders you can cry on and a king-sized bed in case you need to stay over for a week.”

“You’re truly the best,” Waverly said, wrapping her arms around Laura’s neck tightly. “I wish my mom was here. She would’ve loved to see this.”

“She is, Waves. And she would’ve been proud of who you are. I love you, airhead.”

“I love you too, jackass.”

Waverly’s phone buzzed and she smiled when she read the name on the screen.

 **_Wynonna (6:56PM):_ ** _hey baby girl_

 **_Wynonna (6:56PM):_ ** _just checking in to see if you’re okay_

 **_Wynonna (6:56PM):_ ** _i’m coming home tomorrow morning i can pick you up from school if you want_

 **_Waverly (6:57PM):_ ** _FINALLY i miss you troublemaker_

 **_Waverly (6:57PM):_ ** _and that’s okay umm i kinda have a ride home already_

 **_Waverly (6:57PM):_ ** _i mean she’s walking me home but you knowwww_

 **_Wynonna (6:57PM):_ ** _uhhh who is she_

 **_Wynonna (6:58PM):_ ** _is it nicole_

 **_Waverly (6:58PM):_ ** _no_

 **_Waverly (6:58PM):_ ** _ok yes_

 **_Wynonna (6:59PM):_ ** _good one baby girl_

 **_Wynonna (6:59PM):_ ** _nicole is a good girl i like her_

 **_Wynonna (6:59PM):_ ** _she’s pretty too_

 **_Wynonna (6:59PM):_ ** _but if she hurts you i’ll break her ribs_

 **_Waverly (7:00PM):_ ** _noted._

 **_Wynonna (7:01PM):_ ** _love you kid see you tomorrow_

 **_Waverly (7:01PM):_ ** _love you sis_

**—**

It was late when Nicole got home. Even though she had eaten a big chunk of French fries earlier, she was starving. She went through every item on her fridge until she found the gallon filled with that mouthwatering, cold liquid. She didn’t even bother to pour it into a cup and drank it straight out from the bottle. With the back of her hand, she wiped her mouth before she put it back in the fridge, grabbed her backpack from the counter and ran upstairs.

She let her body collide against the hard mattress and sighed deeply in pleasure. With all the lights turned off, only her phone screen lighting up the place, she allowed her mind to come back to what had happened with Waverly a few minutes ago.

Before she even met Waverly she had made a promise – she wouldn’t let herself fall for anybody else. _She couldn’t._ Not for luxury or pure self-care. Not for being scared of what her father’s reaction would be – by now he knew that, whoever got into a relationship with Nicole, the person would be a woman – and not because she was ashamed of who she was.

But there was something about Waverly. Something about her smile that made her stomach churn in anxiousness and happiness; something about her in that tennis uniform that made every inch of her body burn – something she didn’t know it was physically possible; at least not for her. She knew about Waverly’s feelings, she could easily read her like an open book. She could hear even the quietest wheeze and every breath she held every time Nicole passed by her. She couldn’t help but fall in love with Waverly.

_Not love, Nicole. You’re not capable of feeling that._

Maybe not love. Not yet. But a deep, fond, needy feeling. She wanted Waverly. The red-head wanted to be able to feel every inch of her skin against her own.

The kiss.

What Nicole felt when Waverly’s lips pressed against hers, when their tongues slightly brushed against each other’s, was something she didn’t feel for a long time – an eternity. That’s what it felt like for her. At that very moment, her fingertips were aching in desperation to touch the hazel-haired girl.

The smile on her face, one that Nicole wasn’t even aware of, disappeared when a text popped up on the screen. She opened her text messages to find some unread ones.

 **_Carmilla (06:52PM):_ ** _how did it go with waverly?_

 **_Carmilla (07:18PM):_ ** _tell me you didn’t do anything stupid_

 **_Carmilla (11:01PM):_ ** _i invited laura over tomorrow_

 **_Carmilla (11:01PM):_ ** _now who’s stupid am i right_

 **_Nicole (11:02PM):_ ** _you know what you have to do._

 **_Carmilla (11:02PM):_ ** _i know what i CAN’T do, that’s for sure_

 **_Nicole (11:02PM):_ ** _good_

 **_Nicole (11:02PM):_ ** _because, carm, i need you to meet me by the vending machine next to the philosophy classroom first thing tomorrow_

 **_Nicole (11:02PM):_ ** _it’s important_

 **_Carmilla (11:03PM):_ ** _you’re freaking me out, haught_

 **_Carmilla (11:03PM):_ ** _what is it?_

 **_Nicole (11:03PM):_ ** _it needs to be in person_

 **_Carmilla (11:03PM):_ ** _tell me you didn’t touch her_

Nicole sighed deeply as she read the last text. _How did Carmilla do it?_

 **_Nicole (11:06PM):_ ** _i can’t_

Unlike Laura and Waverly, Nicole and Carmilla were brought together forcefully by destiny. Their friendship wasn’t like any other, but they needed each other even more so than anyone could ever imagine.

She knew Carmilla would be mad at her. If she was being completely honest, she was even a little bit _scared_ of what the dark-haired girl would say to her, but she couldn’t help it. She didn’t want to.

The motor sound from her father’s car came ranging into her ears as he pulled over in the garage. Less than a minute she knew he’d be home and opening her door in 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2…

“Hey, kiddo,” he said, turning on the hall light. “Are you okay?”

“Just fine, dad.” She smiled fondly at him, receiving a smile back from him.

“I want to talk to you about something,” he said as he entered the room and sat on the edge of Nicole’s bed. She adjusted herself and sat, resting her back on the wall. “I need to go out of town for some time. A few weeks, two months maximum.”

Nicole frowned at the information. Why would he need to be out for this long?

“What for?,” she asked.

“It’s Nedley. He needs backup for a case in Purgartory. Are you going to be okay by yourself?”

“Yes, I will. I can always go to Carm’s if I need anything. When are you leaving?”

“Tomorrow morning.”

“No need to worry about me, dad. I’ll be fine.” Nicole smiled as her eyes followed his face as he stood up.

“I know you will. Just… Take care of yourself, ok? I’m going to bed. Do I need to leave money for lunch?” he asked in a tease with a chuckle.

“You know you don’t.”

“Goodnight, Nicole.” He said, placing a kiss on the ginger’s forehead.

“Goodnight, dad,” she said as she watched him leaving the room.

He stopped before he could close the door behind him.

“Waverly is a good girl, Nicole. Just be careful, okay? If she finds out…”

“She won’t. I swear. Thanks, dad.”

“I love you, kiddo.”

“I love you too, _daddo_.”

The click sound coming from the doorknob made Nicole comfortable again. Not that she didn’t like being around her father, but she really wanted to be alone right now to think about everything that’s happening inside her about the smaller girl. She, then, decided to take a shower. She needed to cleanse herself from that smell of sweat she’s been carrying around with her since that morning and maybe clear her thoughts.

_What would Waverly do when she finds out the truth? Will she run away? Maybe she won’t. I hope she doesn’t._

**—**

Carmilla watched Laura from the bench. She had already finished her practice, feeling the cold breeze hitting her skin as she drank thirstily from her water bottle. Nicole had been flirting with Waverly the entire time and if she was being honest they were pretty cute together. Carmilla noticed how Nicole deviated her body from Waverly’s touch and how her face would drop every time. She felt bad for the smaller one, wanting so bad to touch her but not being able to.

It was all ruined by now. Not ruined, but she was, maybe, one step closer to finding out the truth.

_“Nicole Haught,” Carmilla said loudly, catching Nicole’s attention. She watched the ginger walking into the building, eyes looking around for Carmilla. “Spill.”_

_“Good morning to you, too, Karnstein,” she answered, clearly bothered by the exaggerated amount of light coming in through the windows. “I don’t have much time. Waverly and I have the next class together, and so does Laura.”_

_“I have Antropology, so I’m fine,” she said with a shrug. “Why did you let her touch you?”_

_“She didn’t. I did. I touched her.”_

_“And why, Nicole? You know you can’t!”_

_“I don’t know, okay, Carmilla? I wasn’t thinking. Her smell… she just drives me nuts. I can’t think properly. It’s so pungent. I could hear her and I just needed to make contact.”_

_Carmilla sighed deeply, rubbing her forehead firmly against her fingertips._

_“Do you think she noticed?”_

_“It was pretty cold last night, so I don’t think so. Maybe. When I kissed her.”_

_“You did what now?” Carmilla looked at her, eyes widened as much as they could be. Nicole caught a glimpse of her hands, now turned into fists. “Nicole, if this goes down the drain for you, it also does for me!”_

_“I know and I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I wasn’t supposed to like anyone, but it happened. Just like it happened to you.”_

_“It’s different with Laura.”_

_“Oh, really? And why is that?”_

_“Because it’s completely platonic. I don’t know her very well, but you know Waverly. I’ve fallen for what I’ve seen of her. We’ve talked three times because I’m too much of a chicken. You and Waverly, you both click. I don’t know about me and Laura. We’ll see how it goes tonight.”_

_“She’s coming over, right?”_

_“She is. I don’t know if I can handle much, though.”_

_“It’s the smell, right?”_

_“And her neck… The goddamn ponytail,” Carmilla sighed, trying to erase the desperate feeling, the urge to touch Laura from her head. Carmilla looked up and saw Laura and Waverly walking in, her gaze meeting Laura’s and she froze for a second._

_“Shit,” Nicole cursed as she caught up on what had just happened. “I have to go. Just don’t be stupid tonight. Just… Don’t.”_

_“You’re not one to tell, Haught.”_

“Carmilla?”

Carmilla had zoned out once again. She couldn’t help but feel scared that she wouldn’t be able to control herself around Laura, said girl standing right in front of her.

“Oh, hey, sorry,” she smiled gently at Laura, standing up and throwing her bag strap on her shoulder. She glanced one last time at Nicole, who was now standing in a safe distance from Waverly. “Just got distracted.”

“That’s okay! Uhm, I just wanted to talk to you about tonight.”

 _Great, she’s already blowing me off,_ Carmilla thought.

“Oh, sure. What about it?”

“Just wanted to make sure if you really asked me to a night out and if you did, if it’s really at 7,” she chuckled and felt her cheeks starting to burn. Carmilla watched her face tilting towards, falling, and felt the smile growing.

“Creampuff, unless we’re living in an episode of Black Mirror, which I’m a hundred percent sure we’re not, I did invite you to a night out and yes, at 7.”

“Oh, great! Uhm, yeah, this is great. I just thought you were asking me out on a date and I thought ‘well, Laura, this is crazy’ because, you know—”

“Would it be awkward if I did with such intention?” Carmilla asked, her voice dropping an octave and that raspy tone coming alive again. Laura didn’t want to move her hands because then Carmilla would know how much she was shaking.

“No, not at all. I think I’d like that very much.” Laura answered shyly, staring deeply into the dark-haired girl’s eyes. They were dark, like they were filled with lust.

“Good, because I did. It’s a date then, Hollis,” Carmilla said with a wink and walked away, leaving Laura behind.

“This girl is going to be the death of me, I swear to God.” Laura murmured to herself, walking towards the bench to wait for Waverly.

**—**

Two hours later, Laura was calling an Uber to Carmilla’s place. She had already warned her parents that she would be staying at Waverly’s and that they didn’t need to wait up for her.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she quickly unlocked the screen when she read the notification that had just popped up.

_Waverly sent a text to the group “the gay squad”_

**_Waverly:_ ** _hey does anybody know what’s a chiral carbon?_

 **_Nicole:_ ** _it’s a carbon that’s attached to four different types of atoms or group of atoms :)_

 **_Nicole:_ ** _do you need help with chemistry this semester, waves? i can help you if you want_

 **_Waverly:_ ** _i am having a little bit of trouble yes_

 **_Waverly:_ ** _that’s so nice of you and yes please and thank you_

 **_Laura:_ ** _would you guys please get a room i don’t need to witness such thing_

 **_Waverly:_ ** _stop being a pain in the ass laura_

 **_Waverly:_ ** _where’s your date?_

 **_Laura:_ ** _not that’s any of your concern but i am currently waiting for my ride to her place_

 **_Waverly:_ ** _first of all RUDE secondly it IS of my concern because i’m your best friend it’s your duty to share those infos with me_

 **_Nicole:_ ** _uhh laura has a date with the tennis girl_

 **_Waverly:_ ** _how do you know that?_

 **_Nicole:_ ** _carmilla told me_

 **_Laura:_ ** _so you’re like friends or something?_

 **_Nicole:_ ** _i’d say we’ve been putting up with each other for the last five years, yes_

 **_Laura:_ ** _oh that’s great_

 **_Laura:_ ** _if everything goes well we’ll be going on double dates in no time_

Laura watched with a smug as Waverly started to type, but then stopped. It was just a matter of seconds until a new notification popped up.

Said and done.

 **_Waverly (6:41PM):_ ** _WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT_

 **_Waverly (6:41PM):_ ** _NOW SHE’LL THINK I’M A DESPERATE GIRL THINKING ABOUT SERIOUS RELATIONSHIPS_

 **_Laura (6:41PM):_ ** _oh come on waves you know she wants it just as much as you do_

 **_Laura (6:41PM):_ ** _it’s just a matter of time until you guys become a thing_

 **_Laura (6:42PM):_ ** _like, officially_

 **_Waverly (6:42PM):_ ** _just don’t say things like that again or i’ll kill you tonight while you sleep_

 **_Laura (6:42PM):_ ** _you’ve had your chance a hundred times and i’m pretty much alive so nice try_

Laura looked at the street to see her Uber pulling over in front of her house. She took a deep sighed and walked to the car, getting her backseat. Carmilla’s place wasn’t far from her home, but it would take at least fifteen minutes for her to get there. Then, she decided to send a text to the dark-haired girl just to let her know.

 **_Laura (6:48PM):_ ** _i’m not blowing you off my uber just took longer than expected to arrive so i’m on my way_

 **_Carmilla (6:50PM):_ ** _don’t worry cutie, i’ll be waiting outside_

Laura shook her head with a light chuckle. She wondered when she got so involved with this new feeling towards the other girl. Sure, she had seen Carmilla before around, that air of mystery she’d exhale, always with a book in hands, headphones on and with the least amount of friends possible. The times she had spotted the dark-haired girl in the hallways or at lunch, she was always alone and now that she was thinking about it, she had caught her talking to Nicole once or twice. If Nicole hadn’t told her that they’re friends she would’ve never guessed it because they barely interact at school. Even now that Carmilla is on the tennis team, they don’t seem to be the most talkative friends on Earth.

That girl was a charade for Laura. She was pretty sure Carmilla had never even noticed her, not even when she talked to Nicole and she was around. In fact, neither had Laura. Sure, she could spot a pretty girl when she saw one, but nothing out of the ordinary or filled with feelings. There was something about Carmilla that drew her to the pale girl. Maybe it was the voice, always raspy like she had just woken up. Maybe it was her body curves. Maybe it was her mysterious way. Maybe the way she walked. Maybe it was the product of all that. But never, in a million years, Laura would even imagine that one day she’d be seeing Carmilla on a date. She tried so hard to erase the last two weeks from her mind, trying to convince herself that it was all her imagination playing tricks with her, but it wasn’t.

The way Carmilla started looking at her and not only at practice – like she was hungry and Laura was the most delicious meal. The way she always ended up calling her _cutie_ or _cupcake_ or whatever other pastry name she could find always made Laura feel things she didn’t even want to admit. Laura wanted Carmilla and that was a fact, but something inside her, a little voice, was telling her to be careful. Careful so she won’t get hurt? Maybe. Careful because maybe that’s just her game – she makes you develop feelings when she really just wanted a one-night stand.

 _Remember, Hollis: no strings need to be attached,_ she made a mind note.

Deep down she believed that Carmilla wasn’t like that. Sure, she could be the personification of a “fuck-girl”, but what if Laura was wrong? This time she really hoped she was.

She cleaned the sweat from her palms on her jeans after she paid for the ride and got out of the car to find Carmilla propping her body on the doorframe. It was dark out, but the low lighting was enough for Laura to see the smug she had on her face. Laura tried taking deep breaths in order to control her heart beating, but it didn’t quite work. Shy as she was, she walked towards the girl with a smile on her face.

“You’re here just in time, cupcake,” Carmilla said, her voice an octave higher that it usually was. “Come on, we need to order the pizza if we want it to arrive before 10PM.”

“You didn’t need to wait for me to order it, Carmilla.”

“How could I do it if I don’t know what flavor is your favorite? I would take a wild guess and say it’s pepperoni, but I could be wrong and tonight I have no margin for errors,” she said raising her eyebrows in the most seductive way and Laura thought she could hear her heart pounding in her chest. Carmilla chuckled to see all of Laura’s blood run to her cheeks before they walked into the house.

Laura couldn’t help but notice how huge Carmilla’s house was. The leather couch shaped in an L form against the wall, the Persian rug on the floor and the crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling mesmerized Laura at first, until she spotted the huge TV on the wall in front of the couch. Everything was spotless and shining, the smell of lavender hitting her nostrils just ever slightly.

“You’ve got yourself a cool place here,” Laura said, still looking around. She was sure that if she kept looking, she would find even more things and other details she hadn’t noticed at first sight.

“Yeah, it’s okay, I guess.”

“ _‘Okay?’_ ” Laura asked with a frown. “This place is amazing. I feel like I’m in a castle or something.”

“I’m sure the interior of castles are way more rustic than this, buttercup.”

“And how would you know that?” Laura said teasingly, making the dark-haired girl put on a smug.

“I have my methods,” she answered, leaving Laura speechless. “I really wish I could get a smaller place. It’s too lonely sometimes, even for me.”

“What about your parents?,” Laura sat down on the couch, followed by Carmilla who, literally, threw herself on it.

“They passed away when I was three,” Carmilla answered with no expression whatsoever. Laura’s face turned into a pity one, her eyebrows slightly distancing from each other. “But that’s okay. I was raised by an aunt of mine, but I needed a place of my own, you know? Trying to be not much of a burden. But we’re not here to talk about my fucked-up past, are we?  What pizza flavor do you like?” She asked, holding her phone on the open food delivery app. She looked at Laura through her sided bang and gave her a half-mouthed smile.

“Pepperoni.”

“Oh, turns out I _did_ know your favorite flavor,” Carmilla said, returning her attention back to her phone, tapping onto pages before they flipped. “Pepperoni it is.”

“You’re not going to pick yours?”

“I already have, buttercup,” she said with a smirk, followed by a wink. Seriously, when was that girl ever not trying to seduce someone?

* * *

  **A MONTH LATER**

Carmilla and Laura went on their fourth date. Laura was starting to get annoyed by the lack of physical contact, but she also didn’t want to rush things. She knew she had feelings for Carmilla – that she couldn’t deny – and she knew the dark-haired girl shared of the same feeling. Did she? She did, right? _So why the hell wouldn’t she let her touch her? God, why wouldn’t she kiss her?_ Well, she had touched Carmilla, yes, but only on top of her clothes or just her hair, the only way Carmilla would let her. She tried to grab her hand once, but the girl flickered away like she had just been electrocuted. Laura thought that maybe it was too soon. Maybe Carmilla didn’t like physical affect gestures or maybe Laura was just another toy. The thought of not being enough made Laura’s eyes water, so she tried not to think about it, but seeing Waverly and Nicole made her chest tighten and wonder if she would ever be able to be like that with Carmilla someday.

Waverly and Nicole had been just together for the past month. They didn’t label themselves, but they were together all day and every Friday night was now reserved to Nicole, which made Laura a little bit jealous. She missed her best friend and their sleepovers on the weekends, but now she had another sleepover of her own and it wasn’t at Waverly Earp’s place. Not anymore.

Their first kiss had been just magical. They were sitting on the school bench, everybody had gone home already and they just sat there waiting for Nicole and Waverly. Their practice had finished a little bit later than usual, so it was starting to get cold outside and Laura had the shivers all over her body. Carmilla felt the desperate urge to touch her and warm her in her embrace, but she knew it wouldn’t have that effect since the dark-haired girl’s body was freezing. It always was.

“Got the chills, creampuff?” Carmilla’s voice was deep and the cold breeze didn’t seem to bother her as much as it bothered Laura. The smaller girl looked at her and gave her a half-smile and a light nod. “What do you say if we go to my place? I can light up the fireplace and we can watch a movie or that show you like so much with the traveling-in-time-machine thing.”

“First of all, that’s a TARDIS,” she said gesturing with her finger in the air. “And yeah, I’d like that. Maybe Nicole and Waves could go, too?”

“Maybe,” Carmilla said, the discontentment making presence in her tone. “But maybe I don’t feel like sharing you, right now.”

Laura felt as Carmilla’s eyes switched between the crook of her neck and her dried out lips. It would have to be now. She moistened her lips with her tongue and saw Carmilla taking in a sharp deep breath.

“Maybe you shouldn’t,” Laura teased, watching Carmilla getting closer as the seconds passed.

Before she had any time to think of what to say next, she heard Carmilla groan and pull her by her neck, her hair impeding their skin to touch, and connected their lips in a deep kiss. She didn’t know where her lips finished and Carmilla’s started, nor could disguise her tongue from hers when they brushed against each other’s in a hurry.

When oxygen became an issue, they parted their lips and Carmilla made sure Laura wouldn’t have the time to even think of resting their foreheads against each other.

“Wow,” was all Laura was able to pull out. Carmilla chuckled lightly and raised an eyebrow in a tease. Laura felt her cheeks starting to burn, but she was saved by Waverly before she could say anything.

“Hey, guys! We didn’t know you were waiting for us.” She walked out from nowhere, holding hands with Nicole as they got closer. Carmilla’s eyes shot from their intertwined fingers to Nicole’s face.

Nicole knew they couldn’t do it. It was too much risk.

With a sudden move, Nicole let go of Waverly’s hand and smiled at the hazel-haired girl when she felt the lost of physical contact. Laura watched the scene with a little smile on her face and a small part of her was upset that she couldn’t have that with Carmilla. The giggles and the caresses and the walking around together holding hands. She looked at the dark-haired girl and found her gaze stuck on the red-haired girl.

“Laura, can I stay over tonight?” Waverly asked as she walked faster so she could reach the smaller one, leaving Carmilla and Nicole behind. “Please?,” she widened her eyes as she spoke and Laura understood the signal.

“When did you ever have to ask?”

Nicole watched the girls in front of her walking in front of them faster than Carmilla and her and waited until they took the curve and were far enough that they wouldn’t hear them.

“Nicole, you have to stop it,” Carmilla murmured, staring deeply into Nicole’s eyes. “You’re putting both of us in danger. If she finds out…”

“She won’t, I swear. I have the excuse of the weather being cold all the time. It’s just my hand.”

“And your lips. And, God, I hope not the rest of your body.”

“Not quite there yet,” she said with sadness in her voice. “You and Laura, though.”

“What about us?”

“You know I can—”

“I know,” Carmilla said louder than it was supposed to come out. “I couldn’t. She’s like a magnet and it’s been literal torture not being able to touch her. In every way.”

“It’s really hard with Waverly, too,” Nicole said. “I’m scared that I won’t be able to let her go when the time comes.”

“You won’t. That’s what makes it so funny for her.” Carmilla was mad. Mad because she knew that it wouldn’t be hard just for Nicole. The thought of leaving Laura made every inch of her body ache.

“Let’s jut hope for the best,” Nicole said and got a nod from Carmilla in agreement.

* * *

  **FOUR MONTHS LATER**

Waverly was the happiest girl alive when Nicole walked into her bedroom, Saturday morning, with flowers and breakfast in bed. She was a little bit confused because, well, a) it wasn’t her birthday, b) she hadn’t done anything to deserve flowers or to be spoiled like that, so she just frowned and let a smile come through when she saw Nicole sitting on the edge of her bed before handing her a single rose.

“Good morning, pretty lady,” Nicole sang-songed as she walked into the bedroom, trying not to trip on the rug.

“That’s a nice way to be woken up,” Waverly said. “What’s with the flowers?” She asked as she stood up on her bed, making space for the support with the silverware, orange juice and all the food Nicole had made. “I’m pretty sure it’s not my birthday yet.”

“You’re special to me, Waves. I just wanted to make you a little something,” Nicole tilted her head a little to the side as she watched Waverly smiling, the biggest smile she had ever seen the girl put on. When Waverly felt the blood running up to her face, she covered it with both of her hands.

“You make me blush every time,” Waverly said between giggles.

“Well, I need you to look at me because I need to talk to you,” Nicole asked.

“What is it?” Waverly sounded worried. It was all going so well…

“Oh, God, I don’t know how to do this without sounding like a completely weirdo so here goes nothing,” Nicole murmured, mostly to herself, before she looked up from her lap to face Waverly again. “Be mine, Waverly Earp. Be mine. I know four months is not a lot, but, damn, I’ve got my eye on you ever since I set foot in that Math class last semester and you’ve just been in my head ever since. I didn’t know how to talk to you because you made me so nervous and I still can’t believe we’ve gotten to this point, where I’m waking up next to you on a chilly, Saturday morning. I’m not good at all with beautiful speeches, but please, just… Be mine. Will you… be my girlfriend? Like, real girlfriend?”

“Oh, Nicole Haught, you don’t even have to ask me twice.” Waverly pulled Nicole in by her neck for a kiss, one that she couldn’t help but smile in between.

“So is that a yes?” Nicole asked, feeling the hot lips pressing against hers one more time. “Well, I’ll take that as one.”

“I love you, Nicole Haught.”

“I love you, Waverly Earp.”

Waverly reached for the glass of orange juice in front of her before she pecked Nicole’s lips once again. She hummed in pleasure when the cold liquid ran down her throat.

“That’s so good,” she said. “You even made me a bowl of fruit salad. With my favorite fruits!”

“Only the best for my girl.”

As Waverly ate, Nicole searched for her phone to see if there were any unread messages from Carmilla. There was. And she was not happy.

 **_Carmilla (9:16AM):_ ** _Nicole where are you_

 **_Carmilla (9:18AM):_ ** _oh right you stayed over at waverly’s_

 **_Carmilla (9:18AM):_ ** _well text me later because i have some news_

 **_Nicole (9:30AM):_ ** _what is it_

 **_Nicole (9:30AM):_ ** _also i just asked waverly to be my girlfriend so there’s that_

 **_Carmilla (9:39AM):_ ** _NICOLE HAUGHT YOU IMBECILE_

 **_Carmilla (9:40AM):_ ** _congrats tho did she say yes ALSO YOU’RE AN IMBECILE_

 **_Nicole (9:40AM):_ ** _carmilla, she’s touched me. if anything is to happen it will. also she said yes_

 **_Carmilla (9:40AM):_ ** _laura feels bad seeing you holding hands with waverly because i don’t let her touch me_

 **_Carmilla (9:40AM):_ ** _but you know what? screw it. i’m fighting for her_

 **_Nicole (9:41AM):_ ** _so am i_

* * *

  **SIX MONTHS LATER**

Carmilla let Laura touch her. And it was delightful.

She knew she thought it was weird to feel her skin so cold, even when they were inside, next to the fireplace and all the warmers turned on. Some random movie was on the TV, but Carmilla’s attention was full on Laura. A tingly sensation hit her and she couldn’t handle it anymore. She slowly reached for Laura’s hand over the blanket, cuddling with the girl as they laid on the mattress.

Laura’s heart jumped out when she felt Carmilla’s cold hand touching her own and the dark-haired girl’s body cuddling against hers, fitting it perfectly. She tried not to let a smile appear, but it was involuntarily. She didn’t want Carmilla to notice, but she did. The shivers ran down her entire body again when she felt Carmilla’s cold lips against her neck.

After six months, Carmilla had finally touched her and she felt this giant current of happiness hit her. She knew Carmilla loved her, she could feel it in every little thing she did for Laura. Every excuse she’d arrange to her father when they came home later than expected. When Laura sprained her ankle on the last tennis competition, Carmilla spent two hours with her at the hospital so she could get an orthopaedical boot. And then there were the kisses. They were always so passionate. She couldn’t be faking that. She couldn’t be faking the gentle circles she’d draw on her back when Carmilla thought she was sleeping. Those cold fingertips.

She was always cold. Laura knew why.

Waverly and her were little when they first found out about the Hills’. They lived not so far from the city. Supernatural things were always happening in the neighborhood and especially in Purgatory, a small city nearby. Laura was never afraid, neither was Waverly. In fact, they were curious to know more about it, but their parents always warned them to be careful with the Hills’ and not to get too close. They obeyed.

It wasn’t until they turned seventeen and went out for Laura’s birthday that found out that they were vampires. It made sense, though, how they would always avoid going out in the sunlight and the running around late at night, followed by the squeakiness of animals.

The fact that Carmilla was a vampire didn’t bother Laura, not at all.

And she knew, in that exact moment where Carmilla finally felt comfortable enough to grab their hands and intertwine their fingers, that the dark-haired girl didn’t too. Not anymore.

“Hey, buttercup?” Laura heard Carmilla’s voice muffled behind her, taking her out of her trance.

“Yes?”

“You know, don’t you?” Laura knew what she meant. She felt the fear in Carmilla’s tone and for a second she thought if it would be better if she lied.

“I do.”

“Do you care?” Carmilla hesitated for a second before letting it out with a gulp.

“No.” Laura didn’t hesitate to answer. She turned around to face Carmilla, those dark eyes filled with fear this time. “I love you, Carmilla Karnstein, regardless if you’re a vampire or a human.”

“I love you too, Laura.” Carmilla smiled genuinely for the first time in years. Her eyes suddenly turned into a pool of hope. She grabbed Laura’s face, letting the cool skin rest on her cheek before she pulled her in for a quick kiss.

“Why did you hide it from me?” Laura asked, trying to not let the disappointment show.

“I couldn’t tell anyone. Nobody knows, except for Nicole.”

“How did you know I knew?”

“It’s a vampire thing,” Carmilla answered with a little shrug and a half-mouthed smile.

“Can you really smell things from, like, a mile away?” Laura asked with a little frown, making Carmilla laugh.

“You’re killing me, Hollis.”

“Yeah, but you’re already dead.” Laura answered with a playful smile. “I mean, I guess so. You really need to explain some things to me.”

The constant buzzing coming from her phone distracted Carmilla for a second. She reached for it and her expression turned dark in a matter of seconds.

 **_Nicole (10:54PM):_ ** _carmilla i think she found out_

 **_Nicole (10:54PM):_ ** _please come to waverly’s place_

 **_Nicole (10:54PM):_ ** _she’s not waking up carmilla please_

 **_Nicole (10:54PM):_ ** _i can’t lose her carm_

She had found out.

“Maybe later,” Carmilla said as she sat on the mattress. “Because now I really need you to be really understanding and just listen to me.”

“What’s going on?”

“I’m not the only vampire around.”

“I know that, there’s that Hills girl—”

“I’m talking about Nicole. Nicole Haught is a vampire.”

“What!?”

“And she couldn’t let Waverly know about her. But, apparently, she did and now she’s coming to get them both. She’s going to kill them, Laura. We need to hurry.” Carmilla said as she put on her boots and her leather jacket. Laura just followed her, putting on her sneakers.

“Who is she?,” Laura asked, following Carmilla around. The dark-haired girl kept walking around, grabbing her things as she pulled Laura by her hand out of the house. “Carmilla! What the hell is going on?”

“It’s Nicole’s mom. It’s a long story. I’ll tell you all about it on the way there, but now we really need to go.”


	2. Will Set Us Free

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waverly is dying. Nicole's backstory comes up and explains what's happening with Waverly and how to get her out of it alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, guys!  
> A big part of this chapter is in italics, which means that is in the past as it tells Nicole's story. You'll come to a part where there's a marking saying "Nicole" - it means that it's her point of view, as she's the one telling that part. This may sound confusing but you'll understand once you get there, I just wanted to give you a heads-up so it won't be too confusing.

Laura and Carmilla walked through the valleys, under the darkness of burnt lamps on the streets. The dark-haired girl’s place was farther away than Laura’s, but the time they’d take to get an Uber would be twice as much as if they walked there. Laura was beyond confused and Carmilla seemed to not be bothered at all with the whole situation besides the fact that Nicole’s mom was somehow evil and that someone wanted to kill them, and by them she meant her best friend and her girlfriend. Carmilla pulled Laura down around, their hands intertwined together. Laura was starting to run out of air because, damn, Carmilla could walk fast. She stopped abruptly for a second, trying to suck the air in, bending her body and resting the weight of her torso on her hands pressed against her knee.

“Ok, Carm, slow down a little,” she asked, trying to breathe properly. At this point, the weather outside wasn’t really at its warmest and it was too much for Laura’s lungs.  “And you still owe me an explanation of what the hell is going on and why is my best friend in danger.”

“Cupcake, we really need to hurry. I can carry you if you’re too tired,” Carmilla said in all her seriousness, making Laura frown at the proposal. “Uh, vampire? Super strength?”

“Right. I keep forgetting about that part. Yeah, never mind, I’m fine.” She took a one last deep breath before she walked quickly and caught up with Carmilla’s long steps. “Now, story time. From the beginning.”

“Buckle up, creampuff. We’re going to be in for a long night.”

* * *

  _The year was 1603. Lola looked at the baby sleeping down peacefully in her arms as she heard people coming and going around the house. She had red hair, just like her mom. Her skin was the palest it could be, but it was warm, so different from hers. It was still warm._

_“Nicole,” she said with her gaze stuck on her small chest, rising up and down as her breathing became normal. “Her name is going to be Nicole.”_

_“That’s a beautiful name, my dear,” Bulshar walked into the room, carrying extra white blankets for his wife and now his child. “You must be feeling cold. Here.”_

_As he handed Lola the blankets, her face dropped to a disappointed face. She was overwhelmed by a strange feeling of happiness to have her child in her arms, but it wasn’t him that she wanted around._

_Inanna had had Lola’s heart since the first time the ginger laid eyes on her. Lola didn’t know how to explain what she felt when she caught a small glimpse of her on the ball her parents had given to the neighborhood. She remembers perfectly how she felt the cold tightness in her stomach when the brown-haired girl looked at her, ever so kindly, and all the goosebumps her skin would receive every time she touched her, even barely. Lola have loved Inanna for years – more than she can count now – but their love was forbidden. Lola was promised to someone else – Bulshar._

_The vivid image of her mother demanding that Lola brought Inanna in for sacrifice was something she had been taking with her during all those years. She had no escape. If she denied her mother’s request, she’d die and spent all eternity suffering; but she couldn’t lose the love of her life. It wasn’t Bulshar that Lola loved. Lola was aware of her mother’s evil ways of dealing with the curse – every hundred years the blood and body of five virgins would be sacrificed – but it didn’t mean she agreed to it._

_Lola was used as bait. She would go out there, become best friends with whoever fit the profile and then she’d turn them all in to her mother to do God-knows-what with them. They didn’t know she was a vampire, but Inanna somehow found out. She said she had met a woman in the village earlier that day. She had told her to watch her back with Lola because she was a vampire and nothing good would come from a family of vampires. Inanna didn’t believe her at first, but then she put two and two together. Lola had never hurt her, though, not even once. But Lola’s mother was planning to and Lola was part of the process, Inanna just didn’t know about that yet. That’s when Lola’s mother found out that she had helped Inanna escape and the ritual couldn’t be performed. That way, her mother would suffer for an eternity._

_But she didn’t._

_Some men found Inanna hiding, not very far away, with Lola in a cabin in the middle of the woods. Lola’s heart was ripped out of her chest and buried six feet under as she watched the love of her life being burned down to flames._

_Now Inanna was dead and Lola was stuck with Bulshar, a man she had absolutely no feelings at all for and now she had just had his child. She felt nothing but disgust towards the man and, even though he seemed to realize that, he didn’t care. Lola carried a deep, dark feeling in her chest and nothing nor nobody could take it away; not even her own daughter._

_She was this shell of a broken woman, who lost her love and was now filled with bitter and sorrows. She wasn’t a bad person, not really, but if the course shall continue, it must be with one of her own. And it’d would suffer just like she did._

_“You’re marked, my dear,” she said with a deep tone and with her voice filled with malice. “You’ll love, a lot, just like your mother. And when you do, you won’t be able to be together. Don’t get me wrong, I love you just so, but I shall continue the curse and it shall only be broken when my body turns to nothing but bones and dust.”_

_When Nicole turned fifteen, in 1618, she met Lavewry. Her mother had asked her to go get some bread downtown and to be home at six, not a minute later. Before she could enter the shop, she saw a girl trip on her own feet and almost hit the ground. Quick on her feet, she grabbed her by the hand, gripping on it, steading her so she wouldn’t fall._

_“Oh, my, thank you. I’m the personification of clumsy and I told my mom these would not work,” she thanked her, pointing to her ballgown that was way bigger than her size. She had an accent and it was the dearest she had ever heard. Not that she’s heard a lot of them, no; her mother barely allowed her to leave the house. But there was something about those hazel-green eyes and that squeaky angelic voice. Nicole’s gaze was stuck. She watched the girl shyly blush under the stare and look at her own feet, trying to disguise._

_“Nonsense, no need to thank me. You were going to fall pretty bad. You don’t want to rip that ballgown of yours.”_

_“I totally do not. My mother would kill me and feed my body parts to the dogs.”_

_“Now that’s oddly specific.”_

_“I’m sorry, I was joking! We’re new around here. I don’t know much about the city and its surroundings yet, so please tell me I didn’t scare you away already.”_

_“You couldn’t even if we had five lives,” Nicole joked, feeling a strange sensation, a good one, filling her chest. “So, we’ve chatted and now I know about your mother’s weird way of disposing your lifeless body, but I didn’t get a name from all that conversation.”_

_“I’m Lavewry. Weird name, I know. My father thought he was the most creative person around.”_

_“That’s an oddly, beautiful name, Lavewry.” She smiled, motioning towards the entrance of the shop. Apparently, she was also supposed to get some baked goods from the store, because she held up a piece of paper, with the most beautiful handwriting on it._

_“Oh, why, thank you so much, Miss I-Have-No-Name,” she joked._

_“You can call me Nicole if you want, but Miss I-Have-No-Name will also do it.”_

_Nicole found herself thinking of how incredible it was that from that weird, nonsense conversation they had two months before, could turn into this: this crazy mess of feelings and words and promises shouted out to the four winds. Nicole felt that it wasn’t just some weirdly beautiful, attractive friend she had made downtown. She had feelings for Lavewry in a way no girl could ever have for another girl. And, somehow, she was okay with that._

_Her mother started asking about Lavewry. How was her family, how old was she, if she had a boyfriend and even had the audacity to ask her if she had ever had sex, which made Nicole gasp._

_“I don’t know, mother! We don’t talk about that stuff,” Nicole said, her voice raising an octave._

_“But why not, my darlings? You’re both at a very adventurous age. You must have had all kinds of feelings by now.”_

_“I’m not like that, and neither is Lavewry. We’re probably too young for that anyways.”_

_“But you like her. Don’t you think you’re too young to love someone?”_

_Nicole gasped again. How in the frilly hell would her mother know about this?_

_“I don’t love her! I mean, I do. As my friend.”_

_Lola laughed in pure scorn._

_“We’ll see,” she said before she turned on her heels and walked out of the room, to come back after a few seconds. “Invite her for dinner tomorrow.”_

_“We don’t eat dinner,” Nicole said in confusion._

_“I know,” Lola whispered to herself before she walked completely out of the room._

_Thirty-six hours later Nicole woke up, not knowing what had happened last night. She had an immense headache and the sunrays weren’t making it any better. With one eye closed and the other one barely seeing the way, she managed to walk to her window and close the heavy curtain, making the dark room comfortable for her eyes once again._

_“Oh, there you are, my little precious,” her mother’s voice echoed way too loud in that enormous room, making Nicole frown in pain. “What happened? Does your head hurt?”_

_“Yes,” she answered in a whisper. “How do you know?”_

_“Mother-daughter bond. It’s more intense with vampires.”_

_It wasn’t a bond._

_A noise came from the radio. She heard on the news that a girl was missing and the descriptions fit the hazel-greened eyes girl perfectly._

_Lavewry had died that night, her heart being buried and her body and blood sacrificed to Inanna._

_“You did it, didn’t you?” Nicole asked, feeling the knot on her throat forming. “Tell me!”_

_“Why are you raising your voice like that, little one? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”_

_“You do. It’s in a book, with blank last pages, that you keep in the library. I saw it. I read it all, in your handwriting.” Nicole was crying and the tight feeling in her chest appeared for the first time. “How could you do it? How could you be so narcissist that you would spell a curse on your own daughter?!”_

_“I must be with her again,” she growled, so deep that Nicole almost didn’t know where it was coming from. The hurt she’s been feeling for all those years was finally showing its face, its shape and Nicole was deathly afraid. “Even if I shall spell a curse. But don’t fret, my dear, you’ll see her again.”_

_Nicole’s eyes widened. She swallowed hard. That wasn’t in the book._

_“But you must watch her die every time until the curse is broken. You will have five turns. I must die by third hands so she can live. If I stay alive at the fifth, her body may turn into dust and bones and you will never see her in the bright day light ever again.”_

_Ninety-nine years later, Nicole found herself as bait for her mother’s curse once again. She knew that Lawvery would appear any time now and she was definitely not ready to meet her again. Her bones ache with anxiety and every inch of her skin was tingling at the thought. Living the past years with only the last image she had of her in her mind wasn’t torturing enough. She felt every inch of the hazel-greened eyes touching hers like if she was still there, just hovering around. Even her smell had been impregnated in her nostrils._

_She spotted her again, sitting there with shy written all over her face and a light blush, the wine she had in hands starting to show its effects on her body. She seemed different. Cold. Like if she didn’t belong there and wanted to disappear as soon as possible. As if she was running away from someone. Maybe she knew what she was. Maybe she was aware that she had returned only to die again under Nicole’s watch._

_“Sitting there all alone is not exactly the meaning of a social gathering,” Nicole approached her, resting the side of her body on the wall._

_“I’m not really a social kind of girl,” she answered with a smile. She had a shy look on her face, Nicole even dared to say she was amused and her eyes didn’t lie._

_“You’re in lucky, then, because neither am I,” Nicole sat on the cushioned chair next to hers, watching her tilt her head towards to stare at her lap, chuckling right after._

_“I’m not sure how to start a social conversation, but something tells me I need to know your name first,” she said, looking deeply into Nicole’s eyes letting out a giggle. Nicole’s jaw tightened, she gulped._

_It wasn’t her anymore. She didn’t remember. Her mother had brought her back, but her memory was gone. The shell of the woman she loved was still there, beautiful and warm just like the last time she had seen her, but every piece of her mind that contained a piece of Nicole was gone._

_Lola looked at her, that look she knew very well._

_She didn’t know it would be the last smile she’d ever see from Averyl, her new name. Two hours later everyone had gone home, but the hazel-greened eyes girl was laying on the floor, unconscious. All part of Lola’s plan. Nicole watched again as the life was drained out of her body, leaving just her shell. Again._

_A hundred years later, it happened again to Velawry. As if watching her die every time wasn’t enough, her mother had to make different anagrams of her name._

_In 1918, Waveryl showed up. That was when Nicole met Carmilla._

_Carmilla had just moved into a new house in the neighborhood. Coming from a family of vampires, Nicole’s mother and Carmilla’s quickly became friends, forcing their daughters to create a bond that neither one of them wanted to._

_Nicole was still hurting from seeing the love of her life dying so many times and not being able to do anything about it. The exhaustion had taken over her entirely and she was not in the mood for new people to come into her life._

_“I lost someone, too.” Nicole heard a voice coming from the woods behind her house. The footsteps on the dry leaves on the floor weren’t enough for her to drift from her mind and look at. She felt a thud on the wooden floor of her porch besides her. Carmilla. “I can smell the pain. The fear you’re feeling of opening up to someone again and having them killed. What’s her name?”_

_“Why are you assuming it’s a ‘her’?” Nicole answered, clearly bothered by the presence of the dark-haired girl._

_“Again, I can smell it. You’re not the only 300-year-old vampire around,” Carmilla answered, letting the broodiness take over her. No answer from the red-haired girl. If Nicole didn’t want to talk, fine. She wasn’t going to beg for it. She sighed deeply and stood up, ready to leave._

_One, two, three steps down the front porch stairs before she heard Nicole sighing._

_“Lavewry.”_

_“What?”_

_“Her name. It’s Lavewry. Her first name was Lavewry, at least.” Nicole gave up. If she didn’t talk to someone about this she would explode any time. Carmilla wasn’t the person she wanted around, but did she have a choice? Or anyone else?_

_Carmilla sat next to her again, staring deeply into her eyes._

_“We met in 1618, her name was Lavewry. Mother had asked me to go get some bread and I kept her from falling onto her face. We became friends, but I knew it wasn’t a friendship thing, you know? What I felt. And neither did she. We first kissed under that bridge downtown. We were just running around, she was looking around for pink flowers to put in her hair and I just felt happy. I thought ‘okay, this is it. I want to be happy with her’. But then…”_

_“Then she died.” Carmilla completed, watching Nicole’s face turn from excitement – from reviving all of those good memories – to pain. Plain pain._

_“She was murdered,” she said, almost as a growl. “My mother murdered her because she’s a selfish, broken woman who wants nothing but only her own happiness.”_

_“What happened?”_

_“She spelled a fucking curse on me, that’s what happened.” Nicole’s tone shifted to pure anger and Carmilla was a bit shocked at the sudden change. “I found a book of hers, like a diary, in the library. She lost the love of her life, her mother sacrificed her and then she was forced to marry my father. When I was born, she put a spell on me that I would watch the love of my life die over and over until she doesn’t come back anymore. I’d have five turns. It’s the fourth. I’ve met her already. Her name is Waveryl. She was Lavewry, and then Averyl, and then Velawry. Like nobody’s ever heard of a fucking anagram. I can’t stand this anymore, Carmilla. I can’t watch her die again.”_

_Nicole was sobbing. She didn’t even know she was capable of crying until she felt the strangely warm tears on her face. Carmilla watched the girl in front of her break in three million pieces, and there was nothing she could to do help. She held her. Held her really tight for as long as she needed to._

_“It was 1698, I had just turned eighteen. I decided to went out to celebrate. What better place to go than to a waltz, right? So, I put on my best outfit and went. That’s when I met Elle.” Carmilla spoke, her voice filled with agony. Nicole lifted her head up and watched as the smile on her face disappeared instantly. “We fell instantly in love. But then my mother found out we were together. She said she wouldn’t accept such thing, that I was already promised to another man. She killed her the night before her eighteenth birthday, September 8 th.” _

_“So, what happened after?”_

_“When I refused to marry the man, she murdered me.”_

_“Wait, what?”_

_“I don’t know why I came back, but somehow I was still me, but alive again. I woke up in a coffin filled with blood. I figured that’s how she killed me since I didn’t remember that exact part. But then a woman took me out of it, said woman being my mother. Not my biological mother, but my mother. The one inside that house making blood cupcakes as we speak. She turned me into a vampire and here I am, two hundred and fifty years later.”_

_“You and I make a pretty good team, don’t we?” Nicole joked, trying to sooth the mood a little. When Carmilla chuckled, she put on a smile. The first that was not fake in a long time. “We could write books of our lives.”_

_“That we could,” Carmilla smiled gently, bumping her shoulder lightly._

_Later that week, Carmilla and Nicole tried to stop Nicole’s mother from killing Waveryl, but it was a dead end._

_Their friendship was severed through pain. Nicole helped Carmilla heal from Elle and Carmilla helped Nicole with the various versions of Lawvery. Carmilla didn’t mention Elle much. It was her epic first love and it still hurt, but she’d rather not talk about it; not pour salt into the wound._

_“I don’t know if I’m going to be able to meet her again, Carm.”_

_The rain poured outside intensely, followed by a freezing breeze. Nicole was laying on Carmilla’s heavy Persian rug as Carmilla laid down on her bed, her head falling upside down on the edge. She watched as Nicole played with her knuckles as she spoke._

_“You will, Nicole. We won’t let her die this time.”_

_“Carmilla, there isn’t a ‘let her die’ option in this scheme. She dies or she dies, there’s no in between.”_

_“You don’t know that, Nicole. There’s got to be something that breaks the curse. What did you read in the book?”_

_“Only about the spell. No answer to the ‘I shall die by third hands so she can live’ thing.”_

_Carmilla shuffled in her bed, sitting up straight and staring at Nicole with a frown._

_“Wait, what did you just say?”_

_“’I shall die so she can live, if I stay alive at the fifth-something her body will turn to dust and bones’” Nicole answered, rolling her eyes as she spoke. She couldn’t remember exactly what her mother’s words were and she hated herself for it._

_“She has to die,” Carmilla said, staring deeply into the empty horizon. “Someone has to kill her.”_

_“Who?”_

_“Your mother. ‘I shall die by third hands so she can live’. What was the other thing she said again?”_

_“That if she stays alive at the fifth, her body will turn to dust and bones… Oh, my God, Carmilla! She is the curse breaker. She’s the key. As long as she’s alive the curse will continue. And if she’s not dead by the fifth time she returns, she’ll be gone for good.”_

_Now all she had to do was to kill her mother if she wanted the love of her life alive._

* * *

“That’s some fucked up shit, Carm,” Laura said, horrified of all the things she heard. They had just turned on the last corner before they could reach Waverly’s house. “I can’t believe Waverly’s name is a fucking anagram to Lavewry.”

“Not to be judge-y, but I like Waverly better.”

“They do get points for creativity, though.”

Laura searched for the spare key inside the fake mail box to open the door, but the key wasn’t needed. The door was unlocked and she cursed at Waverly mentally. She had warned her to keep that door locked a hundred times.

“Nicole?” Laura screamed from the stairs as she and Carmilla ran upstairs.

“In her room!” She followed her voice and found Nicole on the floor, sitting next to Waverly’s passed out body.

If there was one thing nobody ever prepared Laura for was to find her best friend laying on the floor while the life was being drained out of her body. It was scary. Laura wanted to cry. She wanted to go back to 1618 and just shot Lola dead, for cursing Nicole and her best friend on the way.

“Waves!,” she yelled as she threw her body on the floor next to Waverly’s. “What is this on her hand? Why is there blood on her face!?”

Her hand had a giant cut, that wasn’t bleeding because the blood had already dried out on the edges. It was cold – just like Carmilla’s – and the rising of her chest was still. She wasn’t breathing. Laura laid her head down on her chest, trying to feel or hear a heartbeat or feel anything that could tell her that she’s alive. There was nothing but silence. She shook her body, trying to wake her up, but no success. The tears were starting to form in her eyes, but she swallowed them down.

“Waverly, don’t you dare die on me,” Laura whispered to Waverly’s body on the floor as she laid her own on it, resting her head on her chest and her arms wrapping around her body tightly.

“How did she find out?” Carmilla asked.

She wasn’t mad. Nicole knew because when Carmilla was mad she’d just snap, instantaneously. She’d gesticulate and she didn’t measure the volume of her voice. This time she was calm, almost like she was concerned. Nicole noticed a little crinkle between her eyebrows and that was the cue to know what Carmilla was feeling: pity. Pity for being able to be with Laura, the woman she loves, but having to see Nicole watching the love of her life die again, for the fifth time.

“We were just laying there, in her bed. We were watching some random videos on her phone. I honestly have no idea what those were because I was too caught up on her. I couldn’t stop looking at her face and memorizing every inch of her.” Nicole smiled. She had no idea where she had gotten the strength to do so, but it was there. Just a small memory of Waverly was enough. Within seconds, her face dropped and the smile died. “That’s when she looked at me, smiled and laid her head on my chest. She buried her face on my chest and then her face turned into a frown. She stood up, took three steps and looked at me. She was terrified, Carm.”

At this point Carmilla had already sat down on the floor next to Nicole. She had an arm wrapped around her body, pulling her in for a comfort hug.

**– NICOLE –**

_“You’re a vampire,” she said. I felt my entire body weakening. She had found out._

_“What?” I asked, out of pure panic. I needed time to come up with an excuse of why my body was always cold and why I didn’t have a heartbeat. Why I always complained of how hungry I was even though we had just eaten._

_“I met a woman last week. She told me that you’re a vampire, that I should be careful around you, but I didn’t believe her. ‘Why would I?’ I thought, ‘she has never hurt me. She would never’. But now, right now, when I laid on your chest, I put two and two together. You don’t have a heartbeat. That’s why your hands are always cold.”_

_She was crying. I wanted to get up and hold her and tell her everything was going to be okay, but I couldn’t. Because I knew that, from that exact moment, her hours were counted. She would die and there was absolutely nothing I could do to stop it._

_So, I denied it._

_“Waverly, you’re not making any sense right now.”_

_“I’m not?,” she huffed between tears. She walked and grabbed the scissors, that she always uses to cut off tags from her clothes, from her shelf and made a cut on her hand. She wheezed in pain and I almost couldn feel the pain in my own body._

_The smell was so present. It was so pungent. It made my mouth water and I had to look away, anywhere but her hand. I stared down at my lap as she held out her palm to me, the blood dripping from the bruise._

_“Look at me,” she asked almost in a whisper. I didn’t do it. “Look at me, Nicole!”_

_I did. My fangs came out in a hiss. I didn’t mean it to happen like this, but it did._

_She broke._

_She covered her face with both her hands, the blood spreading all over her cheeks and she just sobbed. She fell into a deep cry. I stood up and grabbed her, pulled her into a hug and she just gave in. I started crying. I hadn’t cried since the last time she died._

_“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?,” she asked._

_Because I wanted you to live, is what I wish I had said._

_“I’m sorry,” I answered._

_There was a moment of silence. It seemed like hours, but it was probably just two minutes. The only sound in the room was the sniffs coming from her, her face buried in the crook of my neck and her entire body in my embrace._

_“What happens now?,” she asked and I couldn’t tell her._

_I couldn’t tell her that she was going to die because, somehow, my mother probably knew about her by now and she was just waiting for her to know that I’m a vampire, so the suffering would be worse. I couldn’t tell her that everything would be okay because it wasn’t going to._

_“Whatever happens next, we’re going to do it together,” I said, kissing her forehead. “I love you, Waverly Earp. Don’t you ever forget that.”_

_“I won’t remember anything else,” she answered and right there I knew that she didn’t care. It didn’t matter to her if I’m a vampire or not. She loved me and that was it. “I love you, Nicole Haught.”_

_Her body lost strength and it hit the floor. She had no pulse. Her heart wasn’t beating anymore._

**_–_ **

Laura sighed at the end of the story that Nicole had just told them. She just wanted her friend back, no matter what it costed.

“I think we need to text Wynonna,” she said, wiping away the tears followed by a sniff. “She’s lived in Purgatory and some creepy things happen down there. She’ll know what to do.”

“Do it,” Carmilla and Nicole said in unison.

Laura took her phone out of her pocket, her shaking hands searching frantically for Waverly’s sister’s number.

 **_Laura (11:07PM):_ ** _wynonna where are you please answer_

 **_Laura (11:07PM):_ ** _there’s something wrong with waverly please_

 **_Wynonna (11:07PM):_ ** _what happened to my sister laura_

Before Laura could reply her phone rang on her hand, Wynonna’s name written all over the screen.

_“What the hell is going on, Laura?”_

_“It’s Waverly. She found out Nicole is a vampire and now Nicole’s mother is trying to kill them both. We need you. Please, come over.”_

_“See you in three.”_

Laura’s phone went mute and she threw it on the corner of the room, didn’t even bother to lock it first.

The sound of heels tapping the floor distracted all three of them, making the girls turn their heads at the same time to find Lola walking into Waverly’s room. Laura’s jaw dropped and Carmilla felt Nicole shivering in her arms, not letting go of Waverly’s hand. Lola had a sarcastic expression which made Laura’s blood boil in anger.

“Laura, don’t,” Carmilla whispered to Laura in an attempt to prevent her from doing something stupid.

“It’s delightful to see you again, my dearest, Nicole.”

Her voice was clean and sharp like a knife. She was dressed in a huge, beautiful black dress. Her red hair, just like Nicole’s, was shaped in the most perfect curls falling on her shoulders. Her blue eyes popped from her pale skin, but everything about her gave Laura the creeps.

Carmilla looked down at Nicole to find her miserable. She didn’t even dare to look in her mother’s eyes, she had no strength to. She was defeated by the exhaustion of watching her mother taking Waverly from her so many times.

“I see that you have some friends. Won’t you introduce them to me? Don’t bother with Carmilla, we’ve met already.”

“Leave her alone,” Carmilla growled, staring deeply into Lola’s eyes. That was the first time she had ever directed a word to her. “What else do you want from her? Taking Waverly isn’t enough?”

“Waverly, what a pretty name she got this time,” she laughed in sarcasm. “It’s the last time she will be suffering like this, honey. _I shall die so she can live._ ”

“It’s your life for hers,” Nicole said, her voice quiet. She didn’t look up.

“I must die to be with her again. I’ll only be at peace with the shot of your strongest gun, the one with the brightest blue. The bullet that will bring us together again,” she daydreamed, like if she was worshipping some God.

“Inanna,” Laura whispered, remembering the story Carmilla had told her. “She wants to die so she can be with Inanna.”

“Aren’t you smart,” Lola said sarcastically. “Whatever happens now, we’ll meet again. It’s the fifth. Both of us die and I get my happy ending, while Nicole will suffer for as long as I did.”

She didn’t care for Nicole. Even though she was her own daughter, she had absolutely no feelings at all for the girl. She was this cold selfish stone who had no mercy whatsoever.

Laura caught the image of Wynonna with the corner of her eye, holding a large, metal gun in her hands, just waiting on the doorframe. She made a silence signal to Laura, who nodded lightly at her.

“I’m going to enjoy killing you so much,” Carmilla said as she stood up, but being stopped by Lola’s scorn laughter.

“Oh, my dear, did you really think it would be this easy? Only the heir has the power to kill me. The heir and only they can bring us together and give _her_ her life back.”

“Heir?” Nicole whispered quietly as she could, but Lola heard her.

“Yes, heir. The curse breaker. They have the power in the palm of their hands. It only works if it’s them who’s doing the deed.”

She took three steps forward, making Nicole shiver and Laura whimper. Carmilla’s gaze was like a laser on her.

“Now, if I may, I have some business to take care of, don’t I, my dear?,” she said to Nicole, who whispered a quiet ‘ _no’_ as she let the sobs take over her once again. After all those years it still hurt seeing the scene repeat itself like it was the first time.

“You need to shoot her,” Laura mouthed very quietly at Wynonna. She didn’t understand what was happening nor why, but she wasn’t in a place to argue with Laura. She nodded gently.

Wynonna raised her hand, standing in the middle of the doorframe, pointing the gun at Lola’s head, her fingers ready to pull the trigger.

1.

2.

3.

The click on the gun was loud enough for Lola to turn around.

“Not so fast,” Wynonna announced her presence, lowering the gun to point at her chest, heart-direction. “Don’t mess with an Earp and especially not with my little sister.”

_I’ll only be at peace with the shot of your strongest gun, the one with the brightest blue_

Lola’s quote was in a loop in Laura’s head as she watched the gun turn blue in Wynonna’s hand. Her face was of complete surprise to see the gun lighting up that bright in her hands. The impact of the gun made Wynonna back up a little on her own feet as they all watched the bullet go through Lola’s body.

No blood, no pain.

She was crying, but the smile on her face wasn’t sarcastic anymore. She was truly happy.

Her pale skin got even paler as she started to lose strength on her legs and she started to fade slowly. Almost too slowly.

“You did it,” her voice was weak, almost a gag. “We’ll meet again, my love. I’m coming back for you. She must come back so I can be with you.”

Wynonna was in shock, just like Laura, whose jaw was now tightened. Nicole watched her mother fading with nothing but concern on her face. She kept shifting her gaze from Lola to Waverly’s body on the floor, waiting for a reaction.

Lola was gone. Her body had turned to dust as she disappeared before their eyes. Laura was speechless. Carmilla looked desperate to get any reaction from Nicole, but the red-haired girl was staring deeply at Waverly.

“You’re the heir,” Laura said in a gasp facing Wynonna, still not believing what her eyes had just witnessed.

“Sealed with a lead kiss, apparently,” she answered, looking confused but somehow relieved. Wynonna throw the gun on the floor before she threw her body onto it, grabbing Waverly by her calves.

Waverly coughed. One, two, three, four times. Nicole’s smile was the biggest anyone had ever seen as she held Waverly’s body up, watching her opening her eyes slowly. Carmilla smiled at Laura. They did it. She was safe. Lola was dead and Waverly’s alive. No more curses, no more hiding. They could just be whoever they wanted to be now. No more living with fear. They were free.

“Hey,” Nicole’s soft voice echoed in the room. Waverly was awake. Still a little bit weak, of course, because she kind of died for a minute, but she was alive and she would be just fine.

“Hey,” she answered in a whisper, smiling to Nicole and squeezing Laura’s hand lightly in the process, her face flinching a little bit at the sudden pain from the cut. “Well, that was a kick.”

* * *

“Ok, so you’re telling me that my little sister is somehow the fifth version of your first love?” Wynonna drank another sip of her whiskey, sitting with both her legs folded up on the floor with her back resting against the wall. “And, also, that you’re a vampire?”

“To the vampire question, yes. To Waverly’s, not quite, but we’ll leave it as it is for now.” Nicole answered and that was good enough to Wynonna. At least for now. The red-haired girl still owed her some explanations.

Nicole hadn’t let go of Waverly since the moment she woke up smiling at her. She was still feeling a little bit tired and she had complained of her muscles being a little bit sore, so Nicole made ser some warm tea and just let her be comfortable in her embrace. Laura hadn’t left her side once and Nicole didn’t mind. She was happy that Waverly had Laura by her side this time. Carmilla was sitting next to Wynonna, knowing that now, in this exact moment, it wasn’t her Laura wanted to be next to. She had almost lost her best friend and Carmilla wasn’t about to make it about her.

“You know, I always suspected that you were not human,” Wynonna said, looking at Carmilla. “But you, Haught, caught me off guard.”

“I hide it pretty well,” she bragged.

“Just like you hid that you were a lesbian,” Waverly said pouting, making all of them laugh. “What? It’s true.”

“No, it’s not. I told you, Waves. Nicole was kissing girls around, you just never saw it.” Laura answered, clearly tired of that conversation.

“But _you_ knew it and hid it from me, it’s almost the same thing.”

“Guys, let’s not fight, okay? We’ve had enough of this for today.” Carmilla asked, taking another sip of her burning coffee in hands. “Let’s talk about how Wynonna is the fucking heir, shall we?”

“Please, for starters.” Waverly adjusted her posture, still relying on Nicole’s body, as she saw Wynonna flinching on the floor.

“I had no idea,” she said. “I knew dad kept a gun in the kitchen, so I just took it. I didn’t know it had super powers or something.”

She held the gun in her hands, observing each detail of it. She turned it around, trying to find a source of energy or whatever that made it light up blue, but she found nothing. Instead, she saw at the bottom of it, a writing.

“Peacemaker,” she read it out loud.

“That clicks,” Laura said. “The gun finally set her heart at peace. She wouldn’t be at peace while she was alive and without Inanna. The gun brought it back to her.”

Everybody agreed in silent. The silence was broken by a yawn coming from Laura. They were all exhausted and in desperate need for a good night of sleep.

“Come on, buttercup, I’ll take you back home.” Carmilla stood up and walked towards Laura, holding out a hand to her. She smiled, giving in to the exhaustion.

“Take care, okay? If you need anything just call me.” She looked at the couple in front of her and smiled, followed by a wink. “But I think you’re okay.” She gave Waverly a kiss on the cheek before she stood up.

“Thank you, Laura.”

“What for?”

“Everything.”

They both smiled at each other fondly.

“Love you, vanilla.”

“Love you, hundred-footer.”

“Shut up, asshole.” Laura threw a fist in the air, making Carmilla roll her eyes. “And you, broody lesbian vampire, stop it.”

“I just want to take you home before you pass out from sleep deprivation. It’s 4 in the morning.”

“I’m a bad bitch,” she bragged, trying to make a cool move but failing successfully. Carmilla chuckled.

“You’re killing me, Hollis.”

“Yeah, but you’re already dead,” Laura said, pecking quickly on Carmilla’s lips before she waved them goodbye and walked out of Waverly’s front porch.

Waverly watched as Carmilla took Laura’s hand on hers and walked away with her, disappearing on the next corner. She was extremely happy that she had found Carmilla because did the dark-haired girl make her happy. Laura was constantly smiling whenever she was with her and she knew for a fact that Carmilla would die for her if she needed to. Or could, if she wasn’t already dead.

Her sister had saved her life, but this time she meant literally. Of course, Wynonna had had her back countless times when they were kids, but this time things were way too real and she was so fucking happy to be alive. To, finally, be able to be with Nicole without any reservations. Nicole could finally be with her without being scared to watch Waverly die again.

Nicole watched as Waverly’s eyelids got too heavy for her to keep her eyes open and chuckled lightly under her.

“Come on, Waves, let’s get you inside. You need to rest.”

“Who needs to rest? I’m fine.” She barely managed to say the full sentence without getting lost in her words.

“Up you go, baby girl.” Wynonna motioned towards the house as she stood up and slapped her pants to dust it off.

“I don’t want to be alone,” she said, the fear clearly in her tone.

“You won’t even if you beg us for it.” Nicole said, standing up and pushing her back lightly towards the house. They stopped when they approached Wynonna. “Thank you. I know I don’t exactly need to thank you for saving your sister’s life, but you kind of saved mine too.”

“You’re a good girl, ginger,” Wynonna said with a fond smile. “Just take care of her, will you?”

“Always and forever.” Nicole smiled at Wynonna, who rubbed her hand gently on Nicole’s arm in fondly gesture. Waverly watched the scene with a smile on her face. “Now, if you’ll excuse me I have to put someone to bed.”

“Hey, don’t say it like that! Do I look like a child to you?” Waverly pretended being hurt as they walked inside, leaving Wynonna slightly behind.

“Honest answer?” Nicole mocked, getting hit by Waverly’s fists right after.

“Shut up!”

**–**

Nicole was tracing unknown shapes on Waverly’s almost bare back, covered only by a thin layer of satin. Her breathing was steady and normal, her chest rising up and down again. The warmness of her skin bringing comfort to Nicole as her fingertips touched it.

“I’m so happy you’re back,” she whispered, figuring Waverly was fast asleep by now. “I knew you were the one since the first time I laid eyes on you, you know? You don’t remember, but you were tripping on your own feet because you were dressed in a ballgown that was way too big for your height.” Nicole chuckled lightly at the memory. “I knew from that moment, that exact moment when I grabbed your arm and prevented you from falling, that you were the one. And watching you die every single time was so painful, Waves. After watching you die and come back so many times I thought I’d get used to it, you know? But when I saw your body on the floor tonight… It was too much for me. I love you, Waverly Earp. Promise me you’re not going anywhere.”

Nicole tried to not make any sounds in order to not wake Waverly up. She had always been a silent crier anyways, so it wouldn’t be an issue. She heard Waverly’s heart beating strongly against her sternum, that’s how she knew she wasn’t sleeping. Waverly had been listening to every word she said.

“I’m here,” Waverly answered quietly, still laying on her side with her back to Nicole. She shifted gently in the bed, her face turned to Nicole’s now, eyes with dark circles under her eyes and heavy eyelids. She pulled Nicole in with her hand on her neck and kissed her, making sure to rub her thumb gently on her cheek as she did.

She smiled. Her entire body was hurting and she wanted some answers and to know the whole story, especially the one where she keeps dying like if she was in a video game. They definitely would need to get together with Carmilla and Laura and have a little nice chat about them as well because, well, you don’t get to date a vampire and somehow be part of a curse every day. She had an entire repertoire of questions to do, to both Nicole and Carmilla, but that’s for later. Now all she wanted was to fall asleep in the arms of the woman she loves.

“I’m here and I stay.” Waverly smiled widely, watching Nicole melt under her touch.

And, just for tonight, that was enough.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter just as much as I loved planning and writing it! Tell me in the comments what your opinions are and if you want, you can reach out to me on twitter (@karnscarm) too! 
> 
> Thank you for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what your thoughts are. Thank you for reading!


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